Although I'm not Grade's biggest fan, I think he's a damn slight better than that prat Allen. Imagine the state ITV would be in now if he was still in charge... we'd have running advert tickers during the likes of Corrie no doubt.
What's the answer here then? Do People think we need a foreign buyer in order to keep ITV going or to improve it somewhat? Would NBC or RTL or someone else help a channel, which IMO, has become stale & very poor in the last 4-5 years?
What's the answer here then? Do People think we need a foreign buyer in order to keep ITV going or to improve it somewhat? Would NBC or RTL or someone else help a channel, which IMO, has become stale & very poor in the last 4-5 years?
NBC who have sliced a whole hour of expensive dramas out their schedule because of the need for reducing costs?
Is there a media group out there who has that type of money to spend at the moment?
Like alot of people I don't agree with many of Grade's decisions with regards to the axing of Regions in terms of News and programming, but I understand why and if it is to safeguard the company and to try and help it make it stronger for the post DSO world, which IMO is a small price to pay.
I'd rather have an a strong ITV Plc that is still trying to make profit and invest in good British programming, not one that is spending loads of money on little watched services and has gone into the red finacially making it even more appealing for a foreign takeover and making it finacially worse for years to come if it stayed as ITV Plc.
At the end of the day we would have ended up in this situation now anyway, whether there would be a different person in charge or even if Thames did keep their franchise. The market that ITV competes in during 2009 is far different of that of even 1999, people blame Sky, you can do, don't forget you have the Internet which has taken many viewers away from the Television, and ITV like everyone is feeling the pinch of that.
I think ITV should be as commercial as it likes, if that's the best way for it to survive, just as long as they keep National and Regional News, as it gives it a voice and competiton for the BBC.
I am not looking through rose-tinted spectacles [besides I broke them] but Digital is killing off decent television. Take, for example, how it was in just over a decade and a half ago:ITV was 'king' and pulling in the viewers despite advertising downturns. You still had unneccessary satellite/cable channels but they were at a minimum. You had quality Saturday night entertainment, good weekday drama, its national news was overtly popular - - terrestrial was in a better place then than what it is now. Why? Too many digital channels. It is ridiculous. Also have you noticed the cost of advert placing has gone down? A huge chunk down to digital television.Look at television presenters Richard & Judy. Their Channel 4 show was watched by 2-3 million viewers. Then after a move to 'Watch' it is down to 8,000 viewers. Whereas if they stayed with Channel 4, they might have seen an audience boost. The key thing is digital is not the future.
Whatever happened to a sensible conversation relating to what's good and not so good in television, instead of "live with it".
I think you confused my humour with a serious comment, there.
In essence, what I'm getting at is, you can't really put the genie back in the bottle as regards digital tv - nor can you rely on linear channels now that VOD is so prevalent.
So when I said, "live with it", I suppose I'm saying, er... live with it.
I'd rather have an a strong ITV Plc that is still trying to make profit and invest in good British programming, not one that is spending loads of money on little watched services and has gone into the red finacially making it even more appealing for a foreign takeover and making it finacially worse for years to come if it stayed as ITV Plc.
Trouble is the ITV that's surviving might not be one that's worth keeping - and they're in danger of learning the hard way that profitable products may no longer remain as profitable if you're not offering other less profitable services as well.
What's the answer here then? Do People think we need a foreign buyer in order to keep ITV going or to improve it somewhat? Would NBC or RTL or someone else help a channel, which IMO, has become stale & very poor in the last 4-5 years?
Gavin Scott posted:
NBC who have sliced a whole hour of expensive dramas out their schedule because of the need for reducing costs?
Ah, didn't realise NBC were suffering at the mo as well:oops:
Gavin Scott posted:
Is there a media group out there who has that type of money to spend at the moment?
Probably not.
Well that answers my question then, so ITV is doomed (at present) to continually spiral into more debt & worse programmes, oh joy!
